Porsche may be known as a builder of high-performance sports cars and SUVs, but at the L.A. Auto Show the Germany-based automaker spent much of its time talking about Porsche’s impact on the environment.

Porsche execs followed the green theme of the show with details about the small carbon footprint of a Porsche, primarily because there are so few of the sports cars on the road. And to further improve its green image, Porsche presented the Cayenne Hybrid for the first time in North America.

Sporting the first parallel hybrid system on the market, the Cayenne Hybrid pairs an electric motor with the 3.6-liter V6. The advantage of the parallel system is that fuel savings can be realized in both city and highway driving. Total power output has not been released, but expected fuel economy will be improved to about 26 mpg, a 30 percent decrease in fuel consumption.

Porsche also announced that the hybrid system would also be available in the upcoming Panamera sedan, which is expected to debut in 2009.

To emphasize that environmentally friendly vehicles are nothing new for Porsche, on display was the 1899 Lohner-Porsche Elektromobile, the world ’s first automobile that used electric wheel hub motors to drive the wheels, rather than an internal combustion engine.

Fastest 911 Ever

The L.A. show was also the venue for the North American debut of the fastest and most powerful production 911 ever, the GT2.

The twin-turbo six-cylinder engine mounted at the rear pumps out 530 horsepower, with peak torque of 505 lb-ft available at just 4500 rpm.

Combining that power with a curb weight of just 3,175 pounds and a low drag coefficient , the 911 GT2 can reach 60 mph in a mere 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 204 mph. To put these specs into perspective, the GT2 now holds the record for a license-plated vehicle completing a circuit around the famed Nürburgring with the fastest time, running even faster than the Carrera GT.

Surprisingly, there’s a fuel economy story there as well—Porsche claims the GT2 is rated at 16 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway. Of course that would mean keeping your foot off the floor, which may be difficult in this car.

With the GT2 at the top of the 911 range, it comes standard with Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB), a titanium exhaust system, sport bucket seats and a new 3-stage version of the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system. The PSM in the GT2 allows the driver to leave the system controlling everything, or can turn off yaw control while leaving on traction control. The system can be shut off completely as well, at which the driver receives no assistance and has only sheer ability to keep the vehicle on the road.

 

We had the opportunity to go for a ride in the GT2 in Germany with Karsten Schebsdat, Porsche Motorsport project manager, Vehicle Integration GT2. Acceleration is outrageously strong and is almost as impressive as the extremely good brakes. And when transitioning from one side of the road to the other there was no lean to the car, no tire squeal, no drama at all. The car just goes where you point it with no tail-happy surprises. But most surprising was the smooth ride.